Campus Unrest

Anatomy of student dissent: This document was written by Farmingdale State College President Charles W. Laffin,
Jr. regarding college student dissent and campus unrest. It highlights common factors
that college and university administration should be aware of.

Faculty council meeting, May 2, 1969: Dr. Laffin informed the [faculty] Council regarding the development of a procedure
for the Farmingdale Campus in dealing with disruptive actions [by students] on Campus,
and he presented a draft for study by [the faculty] Council."

Newsletter, January 28, 1970 : This is a letter from Farmingdale State College President Charles W. Laffin Jr. which
discusses student demonstrations/protests on campus and how the college should work
with students to resolve the issues they raised. An excerpt from the letter reads,
"The Afro-American and Puerto Rican students presented demands for changes in the
college's attitude and operation. The resident students have requested change of visitation
policy. Both dramatized their positions by confrontation, followed by negotiation,
followed by efforts at resolution of problems."

The freedom and the responsibility of the university : This statement was issued by Samuel B. Gould, Chancellor of the State University of
New York (SUNY) to the Joint Legislative Committee on Higher Education of the State
of New York on February 29,1968. Gould was the president of SUNY 1964-1967.

Description

The scope of this finding aid pertains to campus unrest at SUNY Farmingdale/Farmingdale
State College in the years 1968-1972. College and university campuses and cities across
the United States played host to innumerable protests, marches, demonstrations, etc.
in this period of time around such events as Kent State and the Vietnam War. At Farmingdale,
students protested against such causes as involvement in wars and brutality against
students in solidarity with other protesters, and held demonstrations regarding such
topics as drugs and alcohol and the integration of female and male student dorms.
While Farmingdale State College was not home to particularly turbulent demonstrations
the unrest was certainly noticeable and is reflected in such college publications
as yearbooks, the Rambler, the campus newsletter, and college handbooks. This finding
aid reflects item-level documents showcasing campus unrest at SUNY Farmingdale in
the period of 1968-1972, and an itemized chronology can be found below.

The materials in the SUNY Farmingdale archives pertaining to 'Campus Unrest' include
SUNY and SUNY Farmingdale State College policies, meeting minutes, inter administration
communication, college handbooks, college yearbooks, student publication the Rambler,
and the college newsletter.

History of Campus Unrest at SUNY Farmingdale:

February 7, 1968

Recognition of campus unrest on other campuses, including other SUNY school such as
SUNY Stony Brook, in the college Newsletter.

February 29, 1968

"The Freedom and the Responsibility of the University" is a statement written by Samuel
B. Gould Chancellor on February 29, 1968 from SUNY to the Joint Legislative Committee
on Higher Education of the State of New York. Mr. Gould was the president of SUNY1964-1967.

July 1969

"The Rules and Regulations for the Maintenance of Public Order on College Property"
is added to the college handbook of SUNY Farmingdale for the 1969-1970 academic year.

October 1969

Strike proposal mentioned in the Rambler

1970

Protests in the yearbook, and protests/student demands mentioned in the Rambler and
College newsletter